Bob Latta: “Amendment 259 will cut $70 million from the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, which I intend to be…”

“Amendment 259 will cut $70 million from the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, which I intend to be removed from the FreedomCAR initiative. Currently, H.R. 1 funds the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy at $1,467,400,000 for the remainder of fiscal year 2011. This amendment would reduce that amount to $1,397,400,000. This office already received $16.8 billion in stimulus funds, and $2.24 billion was appropriated in fiscal year 2010. While citizens across the country are struggling to pay their bills, it would be very difficult to justify not being able to cut $70 million from this office. With Americans also struggling with higher gasoline prices and other fuel costs rising, Congress should focus on legislation that allows us to utilize resources we have available to drive prices down. The free market is the best place for technological innovation. Reducing taxes and eliminating burdensome regulations will allow private companies to bring new, more fuel-efficient technologies to market when it becomes cost effective. With a forecasted deficit of $1.6 trillion this year and the national debt scheduled to triple in 10 years, I have serious concerns with spending more funds on programs that have received massive increases from stimulus spending.”